Fran Warren was born in The
Bronx, New York in 1926. Her first big job in show business was as a chorus
line dancer at New York City's Roxy Theater. By the mid nineteen forties she
was a vocalist with the bands of Randy Brooks, Art Mooney, and Charlie Barnet.
In 1947 she became the vocalist with the Claude Thornhill Orchestra, one of
the few big bands still on the scene in the late 40s.
In May of 1947 Columbia released #37219 - "A Sunday Kind Of Love"
by the Claude Thornhill band, Fran Warren's first charted record. It was a good
seller and a top 15 tune that made Warren famous. Following soon was "We
Knew It All The Time" / "Would You Believe Me?" on #37325 which
missed, but "You're Not So Easy To Forget" on #37558 was a top 25
seller. "Love For Love" featuring a sax solo by Lee Konitz on #37940
was a top 30 seller for Warren. "Early Autumn" was also a moderate
seller and got to number 22 on the charts in late 1947. "Tell Me Why"
/ "I Remember Mama" on #38075, "Just About This Time Last Night"
on #38136, and "For Heaven's Sake" on #38224 all failed to make the
charts.

In 1948 Fran Warren left
the Claude Thornhill band just as it was breaking up, and she went out as a
solo performer. She was signed to RCA Victor records and began recording in
mid 1948. "Why Is It?" / "Joe" on RCA #3318, and "Why
Can't You Behave?" / "What's My Name?" on #3330, did not chart
but in July of 1949 "A Wonderful Guy" from the Broadway show "South
Pacific" on #3403 was a good seller getting as high as number 17. This
was followed by "Envy" on #3551 in early 1950 which was a number 12
seller. The next chart appearance for Warren was a duet she recorded with Tony
Martin on "I Said My Pajamas And Put On My Prayers" on RCA #3613 which
was a huge seller. It was a mainstay on the charts for four months and got to
number three on the national best sellers listing.

In the spring of 1950 another
duet, this time with Lisa Kirk on "Dearie" (#3696) a song from the
stage revue "The Copacabana Show of 1950". The side was a top 25 seller
and was followed by another duet with Tony Martin - "Darn It Baby That's
Love" / "That We Is Me And You" on #3710 which did not chart.
In late 1950 Fran Warren recorded "I Love The Guy" on RCA #3848, another
top 25 seller. That however was the last chart hit on RCA. "My Silent Love"
/ "Look To The Rainbow" on #3916, "I'll Know" / "Stranger
In The City" on #3956, "Hands Off My Heart" / and a cover of
Ruth Brown's "Teardrops From My Eyes" on # 3995, "Stormy Weather"
/ "Over The rainbow" on #4027, "One For My Baby" / "I
Gotta Right To Sing The Blues" on #4028, "Let's Fall In Love"
/ "Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea" on #4029, and "The
Boy Next Door" / "Trying Too Hard" on #4236 all did not make
the charts.

With the failure to record
another good seller for RCA Victor, Warren moved to the MGM label. "Speak
Low" and "Find Me" on MGM #11114, "Wish You Were Here"
and "What Is This Thing Called Love" on #11270, "Anywhere I Wander"
and "I Worry About You" on #11352, and "Puppet On A String"
and "I Challenge You" on #11481 did not do well but in late 1953 Fran
warren had one last shot on the best seller charts. "It's Anybody's Heart"
recorded with Lew Douglas & His Orchestra on MGM #11616 was a top 25 seller.
That is the story of vocalist Fran Warren. She is remembered today for her vocals
with Claude Thornhill (especially "Sunday Kind Of Love") and her popular
duets with Tony Martin. Warren was another memorable vocalist of the Interlude
Era.